Falling
by FieryArtemis
Summary: Ladybug gets carried away and distracted during a fight with an akuma. Thankfully Chat Noir is there to catch her on the rare occasions when she falls.


Happy holidays! As part of the Miraculous Ladybug Secret Santa Event, I am pleased to present jesuisunjardin (from Tumblr) with their fanfiction gift! They asked for Marichat fluff and falling through the sky. A little bit OOC and post identity reveal. Special thanks to the mod of tempmlss for stepping up and taking the reins of this event. None of this really would've happened without you!

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"Chat! Stop him!" Ladybug cried.

"Working on it!" he called back over his shoulder. Chat Noir leapt up on to Notre Dame's flying buttresses as he gave chase to the acrobatic akuma they were after. Ladybug followed after, swinging her weapon and pulling herself up on to Notre Dame's roof.

The akuma jumped past them and ran straight for the spire. The jerk had the audacity laugh at them. He twisted around the spire. Ladybug heard Chat Noir growl under his breath as he made a lunge for the akuma. Chat Noir landed a second too late in the place that the akuma had been standing in. The akuma was already running across the main roof for the towers.

"Coming over the top of you!" Ladybug called as she jumped over Chat Noir. She tossed her weapon in the air mid-flip and yelled, "Lucky Charm!"

When she landed, a small red and black spotted magnifying glass fell into her outstretched hand. "What are you going to do with _that_ tiny bug?" sneered the akuma, pointing at the magnifying glass in her hand.

"Give me a moment and I'll figure it out." she muttered under her breath. She curled her fingers around the magnifying glass. Her gaze landed on the lightning rod and the observation cage at the top of the tower the akuma was scaling. The sun was directly overhead now. A smirk crept on to Ladybug's lips. "Got it."

She charged forward, twirling her weapon above her head. Chat Noir was right behind her and ready to cover her back as he always did. The akuma's eyes went wide underneath his brightly colored mask when he saw Ladybug running right at him. He doubled his pace as he climbed the tower. The magnifying glass was in her hand and she was ready to use it. All she had to do was get above the akuma. A little focused light to the eyes and the akuma would be distracted enough for Chat Noir to swoop in. He'd grab the akuma's bell and break it. Ladybug would snatch the black butterfly and then they could all go home in time for dinner.

Ladybug aimed and threw her weapon. It sailed up and over the akuma's head, looped around the lightning rod, tightened, and retracted. Her feet left the roof. However, she never made it to her targeted destination, the top of the observation cage.

"Ladybug!" Chat Noir shouted. Fear laced his voice. Pain exploded across Ladybug's middle and back as she and the akuma hit Notre Dame's roof. She bit back the grimace as she glared at the akuma.

"You did _not_ just tackle me out of the air!" she snapped at him.

"I believe I just did." A smug smile flickered on the akuma's face. He shifted himself so that he was crouching over top her. His fingers ghosted over the top of her earrings. "I'll take your Miraculous now if you don't mind."

"Get off of her!" snarled Chat Noir. He was feet away.

"I actually do mind… a lot." Ladybug spat. The glass in the magnifying glass shattered as she brought it down over the top of the akuma's head. The spent Lucky Charm disappeared as Tikki's magic apparently didn't hold broken objects in their plane of existence. The akuma cried out in pain and fell back away from her. Ladybug scrambled to her feet, making a messy grab at the bell on the his hat. She wasn't quite quick enough. Her hand closed around air where the akuma _had_ been.

"Are you okay?" Chat Noir demanded as he skid to a stop beside her.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Ladybug insisted. She spun her weapon in front of her and ignored the warning beep from her earrings.

The smug smile on the akuma's face was gone. In it's face was an ugly, dangerous look. It wasn't anything new. Ladybug and Chat Noir had seen that look a hundred thousand times it felt like. "I _will_ take your Miraculous." the akuma said, jabbing his finger at them.

"We'll see, won't we." Ladybug replied back without missing a beat. Another beep from her Miraculous cut through the air.

 _You're running out of time!_ Tikki's tiny voice shrieked in Ladybug's mind.

"Ladybug," whispered Chat Noir, "you're going to change back soon. Go and meet back up with me when you're recharged."

For whatever reason, whether it was because he had some kind of plan in mind or he'd decided to regroup before taking them on, the akuma turned on his heel and sprinted for the opposite bell tower. Ladybug didn't hear the third beep from her earrings before taking off after the akuma. "Wait! Ladybug!" yelled Chat Noir.

Ladybug ran after the akuma, catching a part of the bell tower with her weapon. This time she kept herself well away from the akuma so he couldn't take her out of midair again. The akuma looked right at her before he slipped through the opening of the belfry and down into the bell tower, then disappeared. Ladybug grit her teeth. He wasn't going to get away that easily.

 _Marinette!_

Tikki scream started off in her mind and ended in the air around her. The magic that was her transformation spiraled away from her, rising skyward. Her weapon disappeared. The life line that was it's string literally evaporated from her hand. She fell, back first, from the side of Notre Dame towards the ground below. Not good!

"La… Marinette!" screamed Chat Noir. His eyes were wide under his mask. Face drained of any and all color. Mouth opened and screaming after her.

Marinette screamed, hand reaching for Notre Dame. For a gargoyle. For a outcropping. For something, anything. For Chat Noir.

Chat Noir didn't catch her hand.

He caught her around the middle.

His clawed gloves pierced through her shirt and scratched at her skin underneath, probably drawing blood. Marinette didn't care. Chat Noir's chest was the only firm surface against her. She clung to him just as urgently as he clung to her. Chat Noir wrapped one hand around her head, tangling through her hair and forcing her face into the crook of his neck. He kept the other firmly around her lower back to keep her flush against him. Marinette pressed her eyes shut. She couldn't watch Notre Dame's bell towers shrank away, getting smaller with each passing foot that they fell. Chat Noir's body twisted underneath her. Impossibly, he jerked them both upright so their feet were towards the ground.

They slammed into the ground. Chat Noir took the brunt of the fall, absorbing it through the thick soles of his boots and dropping to one knee. Marinette cried out in pain as her shins hit the jagged concrete. Her fingers curled instinctively into the leather of Chat Noir's jacket. Her heart was beating so wildly that there was no possible way that Chat Noir couldn't feel it against his own chest. Chat Noir's hand tightened around her as he pulled them up to stand. Well, he stood up. Marinette didn't have the strength. He kept her upright.

"Are you alright?" he asked. His voice sounded like someone had sandpapered the back of his throat. Hoarse and on the verge of crying. Marinette opened her mouth but all that came out was short, shallow gasps for air. Chat Noir pried himself away from her, cupping her face with one hand. His eyes bored straight through her. "Are you alright my lad… princess?"

"Y… yeah," she choked out with a nod. Her breathing was starting to even out despite the fact she couldn't quite figure out whether or not the tears were from fear or being wind blown. Chat Noir reached down and brushed the wetness away with his thumb. "Did anyone see me change?"

"I don't think so… no." Chat Noir said as he looked around at the deserted area around the church. "I think you're safe. Safe."

He ran his hands over her arms as he repeated the word.

"Marinette!" screeched Tikki. She dropped out of the sky and clasped Marinette's nose between her tiny hands. "What were you thinking? I warned you! Didn't you hear your Miraculous beeping?"

"I'm sorry. I got so wrapped up in catching the akuma." murmured Marinette. She dropped her eyes to the ground. Her cheeks were burning. How long had she been doing this? Long enough to know that pushing the limits of her Miraculous was foolish and a rookie mistake. Had Chat Noir not been there… The thought stuck in her mind and refused to leave.

Chat Noir's thumb drew light circles around her chin, pulling her face back up. His eyes and expression was soft. Softer than she deserved. "Don't do it again, please." he whispered. "Because I don't know if I'll always be around to catch you."

"I won't." Marinette promised. Marinette's hand traveled up his arm and to his face. Tikki flew out of the way just in time for Marinette to draw Chat Noir's face to her own. Her lips met his and fit together like pieces of a perfect puzzle, moving together in a slow sweet rhythm. Chat Noir might not think that he'd always be there but he always was. Especially when it counted the most.


End file.
